In Full Swing

We woke up this morning again to a beautifully painted sky and a rising sun promising another warm day ahead. Today we continued classes at the Academy as usually as well as sent a team into Sweet Home. Erin meet with the CHE's to provide them valuable knowledge about first aid and Todd taught an awesome session about pain and suffering. As we approaching the weekend and a close to our first week, our hearts are swelling with a compassion and love for Sweet Home and South Africa. Each night as a team we set aside time to debrief and discuss our experiences from the day. We had a tremendously powerful debrief tonight as we shared how all of our hearts are breaking over the sheer pain and suffering that we have witnessed here in Sweet Home. Park and Keely have offered to share their experience from today.

Parker:


This morning, Erin and I had the great opportunity to go to Sweet Home and teach CPR as well as answer general medical questions to the Community Health Evangelists (CHE's). It was amazing to see how passionate and inquisitive the CHE's are about learning and gaining practical knowledge to better support their community. In total there were 16 CHE's who were able to practice CPR skills and pray that they are able to take this knowledge and teach the rest of the Sweet Home community! Erin and I feel so blessed to serve God while working with an organization like Bridges of Hope that is all about empowering commuinties toward long-term sustainable solutions. Words cannot describe the emotions and the experience of being on this trip, and feel God moving in us but also in Sweet Home as well. In the afternoon, Todd taught a great lesson to the CHE's on pain and suffering and how we live out our faith in the midst of a fallen world. For all of the people back home reading this, thank you so much for your prayers and your comments on this blog. We read them as a team every night and they bring us a wave of encouragement and support. This truly is an experience that will change my life forever.
Blessings, Parker

Keely:

Today I had the oppotunity to serve at the acadmy with the students teaching a class on submissiom/ Christ centered relationships. We started out our day with a group devotion and moved to worship with the students here at the acadamy. One of the songs that we sung was "Open the eyes of my heart" and as I sang I placed my head down to listen to the words of the song that I have heard and said many times in my life. During that time I began to pray and ask GOD to do that very thing for the staff, students and our team, "open our eyes and heart to how You would have us to serve You and Your people". Throughout the day the Lord worked in wonderful ways that really blessed the staff, students, and team. I was blessed to teach the students a hip hop dance which I had been practicing before coming out to South Africa. When the student entered in to the room I said my Lord do your thing and we went from there. About thirty of the student came to the dance which I did not expact at all. The student loved it and could not wait to learn some dance moves we danced for about one and an half hours before I asked the students if they would like to take a break but they had no desire to stop dancing so danced for a while longer before ending with a prayer. The students said that they had a blast and I know that i did as well. I want to thank you all for your prayers for the us as we seek God in South Africa.
Prayer Works!...<><.. Keely